The Expedition 10 crew wrapped
up its last week of 2004 unloading contents from the newly arrived Russian
Progress cargo vehicle and making plans to ring in the new year Space
Station style.

Commander Leroy Chiao and Flight Engineer Salizhan Sharipov will count
down to 2005 on their own as they watch the onboard clock reach midnight
Greenwich Mean Time -- the official time of the International Space
Station. As they start their day, they’ll watch for fireworks from orbit
and try to capture images with onboard cameras. After watching the world
celebrate, they’ll have New Year’s Day off-duty, with only light routine
housekeeping tasks planned. The crew spent the last five days hard at
work unloading the more than two and a half tons of supplies that arrived
on the unmanned Progress 16 cargo ship Christmas Day. Working with the
ground team and the Inventory Management System, the crew systematically
transferred items into long-term stowage locations. On the Progress
manifest were 560 kilograms (1,235 pounds) of propellant, 420 kilograms
(926 pounds) of water and 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of air, plus other
hardware and science equipment. The vehicle also brought 69 food containers,
enough to feed two people for about 112 days.

Included in the science materials are student experiments from 11
schools and organizations. The experiments include a variety of materials
and seeds packaged in 20 small, clear vials that will be returned to
Earth on a future Space Shuttle flight. After receiving the space-flown
samples, the students will compare their development to that of ground
samples.

Flight controllers and Earth observation specialists in Houston are
working to identify opportunities for the crew to capture photographs
of coastal changes caused by recent Indian Ocean earthquakes and tsunami.
Experts hope to bring down electronic images early next week after the
Station passes over the affected areas while the crew is awake and the
affected areas are in daylight.

Other tasks throughout the week included calibration of the onboard
gas analyzer, a test activation of Atmosphere Purification System Emergency
Vacuum Valves and cable replacement and calibration for the Resistive
Exercise Device. Chiao also conducted a routine inspection of the portable
breathing apparatus, fire extinguisher and emergency lighting power
supplies on the U.S. modules.

The week also included a number of video and audio conferences for
the crewmembers including two press conferences, management and planning
discussions and time with their families.

The next International Space Station Status report will be issued
Friday, January 7, 2005, or as events warrant.

###

NASA Johnson Space Center Shuttle Mission/Space Station Status Reports and other information are available automatically by sending an Internet electronic mail message to listserv@listserver.jsc.nasa.gov. In the body of the message (not the subject line) users should type "subscribe hsfnews" (no quotes). This will add the e-mail address that sent the subscribe message to the news release distribution list. The system will reply with a con firmation via e-mail of each subscription. Once you have subscribed you will receive future news releases via e-mail.